Training Log Archive: LiamB

Morning shakeout ludicrously early

Warm up

Cheshire Elite HM. This has been the big goal keeping me going through the winter. Really pleased it got to go ahead. 3.75 laps of a big triangle. Really flat course and a strong field with lots of people to run with.

Off in the 4th wave. Quickly settled in at exactly the sort of pace I wanted to run (sub 5:30 miles as 5:30 pace is 72:06) and just focused on sitting in the group and keeping thing relaxed. Had my watch taking auto laps on miles instead of doing it myself on the markers and it had me running slightly quicker than I really was. Meant I was having to do some maths to figure out where I was.

As we approached the end of lap 2 the group I was in had split in two with me in the back one. Could feel the pace slowing a bit so pushed on to try and move through. Lap 3 I was putting in a decent effort to try and make up some time. Worried I was maybe ramping the effort up too early but it felt good and it was nice to be moving through people (even if lots of them were marathon runners).

Hit the last 0.75 lap in a group with a half marathon guy and a marathon guy chilling behind us. Was working really hard from here desperately trying to work out how tight it was as I knew it would be close. Effort really ramping up and feeling hard in the last mile. Thankfully dug in and managed a bit of sprint to the finish (which I couldn't see and didn't know how far down the side lane it was). Relieved to get under 72 and hit my target.

Really really chuffed with this. From the start sub 72 had been the goal so really good to tick it off. This was great fun but I think I'm quite ready to get back to some hill races now.

Easy with strides again. Feeling good

Easy Hough end laps and strides with Fraser

Sunny hough end laps with Fraser

Easy with Fraser

Short taper session before race on Sunday.

1 mile tempo (2mins), 2x800 (90s), 3x400 (60s).

Giving the new shoes a go. Do feel quite bouncy. Hard to tell how much difference they make on short reps like this rather than a long race but do seem like they'll do something. Feeling fairly good and in control the whole time.

5:22, 2:33, 2:30, 73, 72, 70

Easy Mersey. Vest weather today